Meet The Editor – Jena Colbourne

Hello! Thanks for checking out lakelandconnect.net. Big time small town living isn’t just a tag, it’s how The Lakeland lives. I started this site because I wanted to display all the fantastic people, businesses, and non-profits that call The Lakeland home… Rather, I should clarify- they make The Lakeland a home.

I grew up in The Lakeland, raised in Elk Point, where the community survives on volunteers, family and hard work. The town instilled a strong sense of community in me, and an understanding that everyone matters, and everyone has a story. One of the many concepts I hope to display on LCN.

After many years in Elk Point, seventeen if we want to be specific, I did “The City” life (do I need to point out where “The City” is? I will, just for good measure, Edmonton.) I attended NAIT School of Business and graduated with a Marketing diploma, and because the college life was just-too-much-fun I decided to stick around and get my Management diploma, as well. While attending NAIT I worked for B&R Eckles Transport (who from The Lakeland hasn’t worked for B&R???) and a year after graduation, I was working at the Edmonton depot for the transportation company, when a fluke radio contest win landed me downtown Edmonton at the Bounce studios. It was there I discovered I really loved communications and made a plan to get on the radio.

I worked towards that goal, which started with more education and graduating with a Broadcast Communications diploma. I secured an internship at what was then Cat Country 1310 in St. Paul (now The Spur 97.7). I worked the graveyard midnight to 6:00 am shift for a month before I got my big break at The Goat in Lloydminster. I started as the “Cruiser Girl”, basically attending any-and-all community events in The Lakeland in the summer of 2005. Each event I attended, though very different, was the same in one way- full of passion. Each group or town or organization that was hosting the event put so much passion into their event you could feed off it. And that’s exactly what I would do. Their passion would drive me to market the event; my goal would be their success.

After a summer of cruisin’ around The Lakeland, The Goat gave me a chance at my own show which I did from Lloyd for a year and a half. In 2006, when it was time to expand The Goat brand into Bonnyville, I leapt at the chance to be closer to home. The Goat’s name changed quickly, to The Wolf, then Country 99, my name even changed in there from Bassett to Colbourne, but for nine years I covered everything local on your radio.

My time spent in local radio only solidified my earlier findings, everyone matters and everyone has a story to tell. My story is I’ve been working in media for over 10 years. I hold myself to a high standard to ethically cover the news, sports, events – and everything in between. I have the education and the experience to confidently state I will not mislead or spread innuendos or half-truths. The news is the news, the truth is the truth, and I strive to cover the truth and release news you can trust in a timely manner.

On a personal side my story is:

I’ll always be Doug & Donna’s daughter. I’ll never stop wanting to make them proud. I’ll always be a mother to five amazing-wonderful-fabulous-funny-smart-kind children. I’ll never stop wanting to make them proud. I’ll always be married to Husband Chad. I’ll never stop wanting to make him proud.

The Lakeland is my home and I want to see it grow. Your success feeds the growth.

If you would like to talk more about Lakeland Connect Media Inc. please fill out the form below and we’ll connect soon.

To Contact Jena Colbourne with Comments, Questions or Concerns about anything you’ve seen on this site